I want to learn Irish but I'm so overwhelmed!

Hi everyone,

First I want to say, I really enjoy this website. For years I've been in awe of the Irish language and am only just starting to learn it. The audio here is very helpful, but I have lots of (very real) concerns.

- I live in the US and there isn't an Irish course taught anywhere remotely close by

- I don't know any native speakers, do not have a chance to visit Ireland any time soon, and have no one to practice speaking with. I would do almost anything to take a class under native instruction but that isn't an option at the moment.

- I have been utilizing online sources, but I'm seeing almost zero improvement because my learning style is so disjointed. I can learn some random vocabulary, but that's it. The different dialects and pronuncations are very confusing to me, and I'm becoming overwhelmed. After one week of learning I knew how to say "Tá sé fuar" and "Is dalta mé" - almost two months later and that is STILL all I can say! 

I have a solid knowledge of basic grammar, but it is only helpful in my writing; I can't seem to grasp its use in listening or speaking. I guess my biggest concern is, will I ever be able to speak such a complicated language without having anyone to talk to? I listen to Irish podcasts and music, and I would love to be able to read Irish newspapers, but it seems impossible to understand spoken Irish or speak it myself.

Do you become accustomed to the constant changes to the beginnings/middles of words? It feels like one must memorize every single form and context of a word before you can do anything with it. If I lived amongst native speakers I assume I'd get used to it, but it seems so impossible in my situation to acquire an "ear" for these changes, even if I listen to Irish online every day. I'm really in awe that anyone can learn Irish unless they grew up speaking it!.

Help; I feel as if I will never learn this beautiful language.

Go raibh maith agat, Michelle - you're right. I know that learning any new language takes lots of time and hard work, but sometimes a person just needs to remember to breathe. I have to remind myself of how much I do know now, compared to when I started and knew nothing!

I do appreciate any words you might have to help me along. I'm looking into audio courses like the Buntus Cainte one you offer, but I have limited funds and so I want to make sure I pick the right one to start with. It is hard to find consistency in (most) online sources. Your focal an lae and seanfhocal an lae aspects of this website are wonderful. :)

Tá brón orm, Tentaclezoom. Bhí mé tinn, agus tá mé iontach gnóthach! Is dalta mé fosta. Tá sé an-suimiúil.

So. First things first. Doing a face-to-face course can be really good - but you can also learn online. Have you looked at the first free lesson of the online course we'll be releasing this winter?

http://talkirish.com/online_irish_course/

I bet you already know most of this Irish. Buntús Cainte is a really good, structured way to acquire Irish. You learn in small, bite-sized chunks, and you can choose to progress when you're sure you've learned each lesson.

And you can learn on the go if you've got an iPhone or iPod with our MP3 course:  http://talkirish.com/irishcourse/

So that leads me to part 2 - giving yourself credit for what you have learned. I often get frustrated with my pace of learning. I work stupidly long hours, I have little time to study my Irish, even though I work every day on the website. Although I live in Ireland, I have very little free time to go out to language groups and talk to people. I beat myself up about how little I know, but you know what? I haven't found that helps me learn any more or any faster

However, I love TG4.ie - I find the programmes there are great, and even if I don't understand everything, I enjoy the content. And it helps me to learn the differences between the dialects. I think you can access this from the USA.

Another thing I'd say is that when your brain is stressed, it is harder for it to learn. The best conditions for learning a language and practicing using that language are for you to be relaxed. To enjoy it!

I think a thing that would really help lots of learners on this website is the ability to IM or voice chat other learners who are online. I'll take a look at that - if anyone has any expertise in this, let me know!

Would it be useful to you if we started a thread where we could just say hello and you could practice your Irish? A popular thread on this site is this simple word game started ages ago, when the site was very new!

http://talkirish.com/forums/p/42/123.aspx#123

Finally...remember that Irish is just another modern language. It's quite different to English, but it's perfectly possible to learn it, even from a distance

Hi Tentaclezoom,

The best advice I can offer is to remember how we learned any language as children…hear a word or expression, repeat it, correct it, put it into context. It can be overwhelming to concentrate on the numerous grammatically correct forms of every verb and noun in Irish and I am very guilty of often using the incorrect form…but I allow those more learned than me to offer critique and correction and will always find something more to learn in the language.

Remember also that the forms of spoken English we use are now varied by dialect and region and spoken word and written word can often be remote relatives. I would respectfully recommend taking this approach – learn a word, use it when and where you can, especially in spoken context and don’t worry if it is not fully correct…you’ll get there by being aware that you’re making the effort and by having the courage to be incorrect…rather speak and be wrong than remain in timid silence.

All easy for me, I understand, as I was born in Ireland and learned it through my school years, but I am still a poor student and would not consider myself a true speaker...but I will always try.

I hope this helps

Aindriú

Nuair a déir tú aon fhocal i do theanga féin, tá tú ag caint as do chroí

You can stream TG4 in the US…I do it quite often (over lunch break at work…don’t tell my boss)

Aindriú

Nuair a déir tú aon fhocal i do theanga féin, tá tú ag caint as do chroí

A good way to expand basic vocabulary is to stick a piece of paper with the name of it in irish on the objects around your house. For example, everytime you go into the bathroom you will see the scáthán and tuáille.  You can't come to Ireland but the idea would be to immerse yourself in a little bit of irish at home . Makes it a more interesting and interactive way of learning.  Time consuming but even writing out the pieces of paper will mean you have to look up words. 

It's definitely worthwhile investing in some CD or MP3 that allows you to listen to and then repeat the irish.  There are so many products available, Colloquial Irish, the complete course for beginners by Thomas Ihde, Máire Ní Neachtain, ROslyn Blyn'LaDrew and John Gillen is quite a good one.  It comes with a book which helps you through the exercises.  It is a great resource and I would recommend it. It goes through all the sounds in irish. Then it has conversations in irish that you can follow in the book. The conversations are quite fast but I imagine over time you would get used to it. 

Keep at it and good luck!

Jen

Such a very amazing link! Thanks you for the post

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Why sure you will !  It is a bit overwhelming but that's only because it's new to you.  Take me, for example, I have such a strong southern accent...try converting that into an Irish accent..  lol   But it can be done and you'll be just fine.  And if you want to practice what you know..even if it's just  ..Dia duit...I'm always around and will be more than willing to help. I'm by no means fluent, but I know a few basics. And what I don't know, I'm sure someone here will and will be willing to help ya too. So chin up..don't let the language scare ya. Rememeber this:  You didn't know how to speak English either at first and look at ya now, right?    Slán  Kaylee

Go raibh maith agaibh, gach duine! Ta brón orm, I took a long time to reply, but I appreciate everyone's words. I keep returning to this thread when I need a boost in the right direction, and it does help. :)

Oh, and TG4 is wonderful - I've been watching the nuacht (nuachta?) gach lá, and even though I'm lost most of the time, it is inspiring when I can say "Hey, they're talking about driving carefully in the snow!" or "I don't know what's happening, but it's taking place on a Monday." I like to watch the dramas too, even though they are harder to understand than the newscastors. It's helping me to collect phrases that are more common in colloquial speech. I finally ordered an Irish dictionary too, and my parents have agreed to buy me the Buntús Cainte book/CD set for Christmas. I hope that will help me become more comfortable speaking in simple sentences.

I also told myself I'm not allowed to say "I quit" when I'm tired. I have to wait until the next morning, when I'm rested and thinking, what do I want to quit for? I've come so far already.

Arís, go raibh maith agaibh.

-Brittany

I am new to the site, but I am also looking for good ways of learning the language and I can comisserate with Tentaclezoom, starting Irish from scratch seems daunting, but I am looking at words every day to try and learn a new one...  I am in the UK by the way, my Grandmother was from Cork but never spoke Irish.  I always feel at home in Ireland amongst Irish people and it is a wish of mine to try and learn to speak it as well as I can.

Slan

Janie

Dia duit a Chara!  You know what gets me? The minute I give up on learning Irish, I'll run into someone who can speak it. Well, at least the basics.  I'll be glad to learn with you if you'd like. We can start start from the beginning with what little we know and go on from there.

Maith thú! Great advice Aindriu!!  And I am a true believer that any language is learned just like you said...listen, repeat, memorize.  It's how we all learned to talk no matter what language we speak. 

Tomsnowboo - where are you based in the UK? You could always give the Irish GCSE a go - it's a really structured way to learn. About 3,000 people sit it every year in the UK. Check out http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/irish/